HIGH FULL-WELL CAPACITY PIXEL WITH GRADED PHOTODETECTOR IMPLANT
Granted: January 3, 2013
Application Number:
20130001661
Embodiments of a process for forming a photodetector region in a CMOS pixel by dopant implantation, the process comprising masking a photodetector area of a surface of a substrate for formation of the photodetector region, positioning the substrate at a plurality of twist angles, and at each of the plurality of twist angles, directing dopants at the photodetector area at a selected tilt angle. Embodiments of a CMOS pixel comprising a photodetector region formed in a substrate, the…
IMAGE SENSOR HAVING WAVEGUIDES FORMED IN COLOR FILTERS
Granted: December 13, 2012
Application Number:
20120313206
An image sensor having an array of pixels disposed in a substrate. The array of pixels includes photosensitive elements, a color filters, and waveguide walls. The waveguide walls are disposed in the color filters and surround portions of the color filters to form waveguides through the color filters. In some embodiments, metal walls may be coupled to the waveguide walls.
OPTICAL TOUCHPAD FOR TOUCH AND GESTURE RECOGNITION
Granted: December 6, 2012
Application Number:
20120306815
An optical touchpad including a prism having a four-sided cross section including a light entry interface, a light exit interface, a touch interface and a back interface substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the touch interface. Collimated light enters the prism through the light entry interface, is reflected from the touch interface by total internal reflection, and exits the prism through the light exit interface. A first image sensor detects the collimated light exiting from…
LOW COMMON MODE DRIVER
Granted: December 6, 2012
Application Number:
20120307122
Techniques to provide a replica bias circuit for a high speed and low voltage common mode driver. In an embodiment, a pre-driver is coupled to provide driver input voltages to the driver, which driver includes a set of circuit elements coupled to provide, based on the driver input voltages, an output signal of a differential output. In another embodiment, a regulator circuit is coupled to provide regulated power to the pre-driver and driver, where the regulator circuit includes a scale…
EXPOSING PIXEL GROUPS IN PRODUCING DIGITAL IMAGES
Granted: November 29, 2012
Application Number:
20120300105
An imaging system and method for producing a digital image from pixel signals captured by a pixel array is disclosed. First pixel signals, generated during a first exposure period, are read out from a first group of pixels of the pixel array. The first group of pixels is reset after reading out the first pixel signals. Second pixel signals from the first group of pixel are read out after resetting the first group of pixels. The second pixel signals are generated during a second exposure…
LASER ANNEAL FOR IMAGE SENSORS
Granted: November 29, 2012
Application Number:
20120302000
A technique for fabricating an image sensor including a pixel circuitry region and a peripheral circuitry region includes fabricating front side components on a front side of the image sensor. A dopant layer is implanted on a backside of the image sensor. A anti-reflection layer is formed on the backside and covers a first portion of the dopant layer under the pixel circuitry region while exposing a second portion of the dopant layer under the peripheral circuitry region. The first…
LIGHTLY-DOPED DRAINS (LDD) OF IMAGE SENSOR TRANSISTORS USING SELECTIVE EPITAXY
Granted: November 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120295385
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an image sensor having pixel transistors and peripheral transistors disposed in a silicon substrate. For some embodiments, a protective coating is disposed on the peripheral transistors and doped silicon is epitaxially grown on the substrate to form lightly-doped drain (LDD) areas for the pixel transistors. The protective oxide may be used to prevent epitaxial growth of silicon on the peripheral transistors during formation of the LDD…
METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE CONDUCTIVITY FOR A SUBSTRATE OF AN IMAGE SENSING PIXEL
Granted: November 8, 2012
Application Number:
20120280109
Techniques for promoting conductivity in a substrate for a pixel array. In an embodiment, an isolation region and a dopant well are disposed within an epitaxial layer adjoining the substrate, where a portion of the dopant well is between the substrate and a portion of the isolation well. In another embodiment, a contact is further disposed within the epitaxial layer, where a portion of the isolation region surrounds a portion of the contact.
BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED IMAGING SENSOR WITH REINFORCED PAD STRUCTURE
Granted: November 8, 2012
Application Number:
20120282728
A method of fabricating a backside illuminated imaging sensor that includes a device layer, a metal stack, and an opening is disclosed. The device layer has an imaging array formed in a front side of the device layer, where the imaging array is adapted to receive light from a back side of the device layer. The metal stack is coupled to the front side of the device layer and includes at least one metal interconnect layer having a metal pad. The opening extends from the back side of the…
MISSING CODE REDISTRIBUTION IN PIPELINE ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTER
Granted: October 18, 2012
Application Number:
20120262614
A stage of pipeline analog to digital converter (ADC) includes a multiplying digital to analog converter (MDAC) and a sub-analog to digital converter (sub-ADC). The sub-ADC includes a comparator and a random offset controller. The comparator is coupled to compare a first analog signal received by the stage with a reference signal. The random offset controller is coupled to the comparator to apply a random offset to an input of the comparator to randomly distribute errors by the sub-ADC…
FLOATING DIFFUSION STRUCTURE FOR AN IMAGE SENSOR
Granted: October 18, 2012
Application Number:
20120261730
An image sensor including a pixel array having a floating diffusion region of a pixel which is disposed in a substrate, the floating diffusion region to receive a charge from a photosensitive region. In an embodiment, a transfer gate disposed on the substrate, wherein a portion of the transfer gate forms a cavity extending through the transfer gate. In another embodiment, a cavity extending through a transfer gate exposes a floating diffusion region.
IMAGE SENSOR WITH IMPROVED BLACK LEVEL CALIBRATION
Granted: October 4, 2012
Application Number:
20120249845
An imaging system capable of black level calibration includes an imaging pixel array, at least one black reference pixel, and peripheral circuitry. The imaging pixel array includes a plurality of active pixels each coupled to capture image data. The black reference pixel is coupled to generate a black reference signal for calibrating the image data. Light transmitting layers are disposed on a first side of a pixel array die including the imaging system and cover at least the imaging…
BACKSIDE-ILLUMINATED (BSI) IMAGE SENSOR WITH REDUCED BLOOMING AND ELECTRICAL SHUTTER
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120235212
Embodiments of a pixel including a photosensitive region formed in a surface of a substrate and an overflow drain formed in the surface of the substrate at a distance from the photosensitive area, an electrical bias of the overflow drain being variable and controllable. Embodiments of a pixel including a photosensitive region formed in a surface of a substrate, a source-follower transistor coupled to the photosensitive region, the source-follower transistor including a drain, and a doped…
IMAGE SENSOR WITH RAISED PHOTOSENSITIVE ELEMENTS
Granted: September 13, 2012
Application Number:
20120229684
An image sensor having a pixel array comprises periphery elements formed over a substrate, an oxide layer formed over the periphery elements, an epitaxial layer formed in an opening in the oxide layer in a pixel array area, and a plurality of photosensitive elements of the pixel array formed in the epitaxial layer. Formation of an initial metallization layer occurs after the formation of the photosensitive elements in the epitaxial layer. The photosensitive elements can thus be formed in…
ANALOG ROW BLACK LEVEL CALIBRATION FOR CMOS IMAGE SENSOR
Granted: August 23, 2012
Application Number:
20120212657
A CMOS image sensor includes an image pixel array, a dark pixel array, data bit liens, reference bit lines, a driver, comparators, and analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) circuits. The image pixel array generates analog image signals in response to incident light. The dark pixel array generates analog black reference signals for analog black level calibration of the analog image signals. In one embodiment, the data bit lines each coupled to a different column of image pixels of the…
IMAGE SENSING DEVICE AND MANUFACTURE METHOD THEREOF
Granted: July 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120175501
An image sensing device for receiving an incident light having an incident angle and photo signals formed thereby is provided. The image sensing device includes a micro prism and a micro lens for adjusting the incident angle and converging the incident light, respectively, a photo sensor for converting the photo signals into electronic signals, and an IC stacking layer for processing the electronic signals.
SEAL RING SUPPORT FOR BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED IMAGE SENSOR
Granted: July 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120175722
A backside illuminated imaging sensor with a seal ring support includes an epitaxial layer having an imaging array formed in a front side of the epitaxial layer. A metal stack is coupled to the front side of the epitaxial layer, wherein the metal stack includes a seal ring formed in an edge region of the imaging sensor. An opening is included that extends from the back side of the epitaxial layer to a metal pad of the seal ring to expose the metal pad. The seal ring support is disposed…
IMAGE SENSOR WITH IMPROVED LIGHT SENSITIVITY
Granted: July 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120176521
An image sensor for capturing a color image is disclosed having a two-dimensional array having first and second groups of pixels wherein pixels from the first group of pixels have narrower spectral photoresponses than pixels from the second group of pixels and wherein the first group of pixels has individual pixels that have spectral photoresponses that correspond to a set of at least two colors. Further, the placement of the first and second groups of pixels defines a pattern that has a…
Electrically-Controlled, Variable Focal Length Liquid-Based Optical Imaging Apparatus and Method
Granted: July 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120176530
An optical imaging apparatus having a variable focal length is disclosed. The optical imaging apparatus includes a first double-liquid variable focal lens and a second double-liquid variable focal lens. The first and second double-liquid variable focal lenses are aligned on a common axis and operable to have opposite varying curvatures.
IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL WITH GAIN CONTROL
Granted: July 5, 2012
Application Number:
20120168611
A method for reading out an image signal includes providing at least two photosensitive regions and providing at least two transfer gates respectively associated with each photosensitive region. The method also includes providing a common charge-to-voltage conversion region electrically connected to the transfer gates and providing a reset mechanism that resets the common charge-to-voltage conversion region. After transferring charge from at least one of the photo-sensitive regions, all…
